How Diplo’s Run Club taps into Gen Z’s quest for connection

QUEENS, N.Y. — World-famous disc jockey Diplo is used to performing in front of audiences in flashy costumes and clutching alcoholic beverages in the dark.

Some of his recent shows look quite different. Swap cocktails for electrolytes, stylish clothes for athleisure, and nightclubs for sunny parks.

The Grammy Award-winning team hosts 5-kilometre races around the world under the brand name Diplo’s Run Club. After runners cross the finish line, they’ll participate in a post-race festivities that include cold plunges, peptide product samples, and a Diplo-led dance party. At last week’s race in Queens, New York, about 12,000 participants paid entry fees starting at about $70 and up to about $250 for the VIP experience.

Younger American adults are spending less at bars and staying home more than older adults. As a result, they had fewer close friends, creating a so-called “loneliness epidemic” during the pandemic that lasted for years afterward. But the kind of experience seems to be getting them out of the house and socializing – sports leagues and organized races.

“There’s a big generational shift happening right now, and young people are realizing they want to spend time taking care of themselves and their bodies,” Diplo told CNBC ahead of an event in New York City.

About seven in 10 adults under 30 said they planned to participate in a recreational sports league over the next six months, according to a survey conducted earlier this year by the polling firm Civic Science. Across all age groups, 37% of respondents plan to join the league, an increase of 5 points from 2025.

Volo Sports, which operates recreational leagues, is on track to reach a total of 950,000 player registrations this year across sports such as volleyball, kickball and soccer. This is an increase of about 34% from last year’s 710,000 registrations and almost 500% from 2019’s 160,000.

Boro has attracted private equity investors in recent years to go on a buying spree to buy smaller competitors. But Volo founder and CEO Giovanni Marcantoni told CNBC that about three-quarters of Volo’s growth has come from organic expansion rather than acquisitions as more Americans look for ways to build communities.

Marcantoni, who met his wife through a recreational bocce league, said, “I think of her as a rag, and I think of her as a friend.” “Both bring a smile to your face, and that’s our goal as a brand.”

The community fitness craze among young people has expanded into categories such as cardio that have traditionally been seen as an individual affair, but young runners have found ways to make it more social by joining clubs and participating in organized races. On social media, some users joke that participating in long-distance running or other endurance-based competitions is now a “quarter-life crisis.”

The percentage of New York City Marathon finishers in their 20s will reach nearly 24% in 2025, up from about 15% in 2019. New York Road Runners, the nonprofit organization that runs the marathon, told CNBC that 27% of registered runners for the 2026 race, which takes place this weekend, are in their 20s. According to organizers, the number of runners in their 20s participating in the Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon has increased in recent years.

And Ironman said a quarter of the total number of half- and full-distance triathlon participants were under 30, up from 13% a decade ago. This age group is North America’s fastest growing market for Ironman.

According to a 2025 study by fitness tracking platform Strava, Gen Z was 39% more likely than Gen X to say they used fitness to meet people with similar interests. A year ago, a Strava survey found that nearly one in five Gen Z respondents said they had dated someone they met through exercise.

Hyrox, which runs fitness competitions that combine running and strength training, is leaning into its role as a potential matchmaker. The company partnered with a dating app called Surf Dating to match users of its platform with blind dates for doubles matches. Participants meet for the first time just before completing a series of 1-kilometre runs separated by workout stations.

Surf also distributes special wristbands to singles at High Rocks events to advertise their love status and hosts post-race networking parties.

“Matching with someone based on shared interests and passions is a better way to meet them than swiping or not swiping,” said Rob Long, co-founder and CEO of Surf.

Demand from younger consumers has helped some traditional gyms expand post-pandemic. lifetime Workout studios like Solidcore. But not all companies are feeling the same tailwinds. SoulCycle has closed its studio in recent years; exponential fitness Over the past few years, it has exited underperforming brands such as CycleBar, Rumble, and Row House.

A report released earlier this year by Bank of America found that spending by Gen Z and Millennials on fitness-related categories grew faster year-over-year than on bars in early 2026. The opposite was true for Gen

Put another way, younger people are moving “from the barstool to the barbell,” according to Bank of America economist Joe Wadford. This is part of a long-term trend of Americans drinking less and less, with the percentage of people who say they consume alcohol at an all-time low.

Still, organizers of these athletic events don’t completely exclude alcohol. Volo has partnered with bars to offer deals to players looking to socialize before and after the game. Diplo’s Run Club had several bars at the post-race festival, selling cocktails and beer.

“I don’t think you’ll ever die from drinking,” said Autumn Rossi, a 30-year-old sales analyst from New Jersey who attended Diplo’s race. “I think people are just doing things differently, and that’s important.”

Brody Short identifies himself as one of the young people who is shifting his time and spending toward community-based fitness. After struggling to convince her social circle to stop spending late nights at bars and spend early weekend mornings running and hot yoga classes, the 26-year-old founded a running club called Energy in Liberty Lake, Washington.

In addition to meeting weekly for runs, Short’s club also organizes fundraisers for local nonprofit organizations and cheer squads when members attend organized races. Ms. Short is serving as a bridesmaid and maid of honor in the upcoming weddings of friends she met through the club.

“It’s deeper than running,” Short said. “I didn’t start it just to run three miles with strangers every Tuesday. I started it because I wanted to meet friends. I wanted to find real people who could fit into my life.”

Short said that when she talks to older generations, she often answers questions such as whether they are dating anyone or if they want to have children soon. After Short said no, she said her follow-up questions focused on how to fill the time.

“We’re not raising kids,” Short said. “What are we doing? Well, I think we’re running marathons and doing Hyrox.”

And at least they’re dancing at Diplo’s running club.

The DJ, named Wes Pentz, says his running club is a lot of fun, but he also has more selfish motives. At age 47, you can also work fewer late nights as you get older.

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my career playing until 4 a.m.,” Diplo said. “I want to create a brand that allows parties like this to be held during the day.”